Hand-stamp.



INVENTOR 7n www WITNESSES merrain ,are ATT Erre.

Tnoivrnso. MATTHEWS, 'or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLvANA, 'AfssIGNon To JAS. H.

MATTHEWS & co., or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, AconP'oRATIoN 0E PENN- SYLVANIA.

HAND-STAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 1G, 1915.

Appncatin ainc'ember 7, 1914. seriainofsrarrs.

ToaZZ whom t may concern Beit known that I, THOMAS lO. MAT- Trrnws, citizen of the United" States, and residing in the city of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered new and useful Improvements in Hand-Stamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in a new and improved hand stamp.

The object in view is the production of a stamp which is possessed of sufiicient fieXibility to accommodate itself to uneven surfaces and make a good impression although the surface to be marked lies at an obtuse angle to the direction of the stamping blow and is irregular or broken.

A stamp with a rigid or Semi-rigid mount cannot fulfil these requirements.

I accomplish the purposes in view by forming the entire mount, including both base and handle-stem integrally by molding the same of rubber. I thus obtain a better degree and distribution of-flexibility which enables a perfect impression to be obtained although the Surface to be marked may be irregular or at an obtuse angle to the stamping blow.

Where the impression face of the stamp is relatively large, I prefer to embed in the rubber of the base and parallel with the impression-face a perforated metal plate and interpose between said plate and the impression face an air cushion to enable the impression face to accommodate itself to irregular Surfaces.

Other novel features of structure and ar rangement of parts will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation Showing a stamp embodying my invention being impressed on a surface at an obtuse angle to the movement of the stamp; Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of the said stamp; Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a modified form of the stamp, and Fig. 4: is a base plan view of the latter.

The following is a detailed description of the drawings.

A is the base of the mount and a is the handle stem, both of which are molded and vulcanized integrally as one piece of rubber. The handle or grasp, B, of wood or other suitable material is secured to the stem `af, in any convenient manner. I prefer tobore the grasp toform a socket l, to receive the stem which may be held therein by, cement.

In the case of the form of stamp Shown in Figs. l and 2, which is used where a relatively large impression face is required, I embed in molding the mount a perforated metal stiff'ening plate 2 which prevents the base from buckling when an uneven surface is encountered. Between said plate 2 and the impression face of the stamp, I prefer to provide an air cushion 3 shown as an open work or honeycomb structure formed integrally with the base A, thus giving the necessary compressibility and elasticity to accommodate the impression face of the stamp to an irregular or uneven surface.

C is the rubber die containing on its outer face the permanent characters 4; which are to be stamped or impressed. Said die is secured to the impression face of the base by cement. or it may be vulcanized with the mount as one piece when the mount is made. I prefer to provide a seat 5 to receive compressible rubber type 6 which may be changed when desired, as for instance, for marking dates.

It is evident that the rubber stem and the base integral therewith enable the impression face to assume a position parallel and in intimate contact with any surface although the stamp may be forced against the surface at an obtuse angle, and the air cushion of the base enables the impression face and its die to accommodate itself to unevennesses and irregularities in the surface to be marked so that a perfect and complete impression is obtained.

In the case of small stamps, where the impression face is relatively small and there is no danger in the base buckling when driven against a surface at an obtuse angle, I prefer the modification shown in Figs. 3 and l where the base A of the mount is unprovided with either the stiffening plate 2 or the air cushion 3. In this case I prefer to extend the seat 5 for the changeable rubber type 6 through the die C into the base A.

I thus obtain the same flexibility andelasticity as in the case of the first described form of stamp.

My stamps lmay be used for any character of impression work, but are particularly intended for such uses as stamping cold storage products as required by law. In such work surfaces at all angles and of irregular and broken character are encountered and must be stamped rapidly yet with a perfect impression. Also a great number of different stamps must be kept at hand. The elasticity and eXibility of my stamp and its inexpensive yet durable structure particularly t my stamp for such uses.

What I desire to claim is In a hand stamp, the combination of a one-piece base and stem formed integrally of rubber, a perforated stiffening plate embedded in said base parallel With the impression ace, and an air cushion integral with said base interposed between said plate and said impression face.

Signed at Pittsburgh, Pa., this 5th day of December, 1914.

' THOMAS O. MATTHEWS.

Vitnesses:

WM. A. SONNETT,

C. W. ELTON.

Copies oi this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 'Washington2 D. C. 

